Spring Edition

The new season is here!

WA Little Athletics would like to extend a warm welcome to all new and returning little athletes for the 2013/14 summer season. This season is very special because it represents 50 years of the Little Athletics movement in Australia. Millions of Aussies have benefited from involvement in the sport. As you will read in this newsletter, there has been plenty of activity during the recent months. Cross Country and Walks Championships were successfully hosted by Ridgewood and Dale, respectively. Multiple clinics and courses have been held for athletes, coaches and officials. There have even been opportunities for our athletes to train and compete in exciting places like Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai and the Australian Institute of Sport. While the season is just getting started for many of our members, we would like to acknowledge our North West Centres in Karratha and Broome for their season which has recently concluded. Remember you can stay in touch with exciting news and stories from us through these newsletters. walittleathletics.com.au and facebook.com/walittleathletics. We hope you find great enjoyment from this season. Be Your Best.

UWA athletes in China

UWALAC had a group of 13 athletes staying at the Shanghai Sports School in China. UWA hosted these athletes in 2012 and now they are returning the favour as part of the Friendship Games. They have been having an amazing time working on both an indoor and outdoor track. The Chinese coaches have been fantastic with the athletes, teaching lots of new flexibility and core strength drills. For more information please visit www.friendshipgames.com.au

Under 15 camp at the AIS

Little Athletics Australia hosted a national under 15 camp for developing athletes at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra, on 6th-9th October. WALA sent a group of 23 athletes (12 boys and 11 girls), they were supervised by team managers Frank Jamieson and Toni Petts. It was a great opportunity to learn from some of Australia's elite coaches and to make new friends with athletes from different states. Camp participants were also able to spend time in sessions with elite athletes, Australian Olympians Melissa Breen (100m & 200m) and Tristan Thomas (400m & 400m H).

Pink up for the McGrath Foundation

WA Little Athletics will be turning pink during the Teams Challenge on Sunday 17th November to support the McGrath Foundation. Pinkletics is an initiative of the McGrath Foundation, Little Athletics Australia and the State Associations. As of October 2013, the McGrath Foundation has helped support over 20,000 experiencing breast cancer in Australia, with 86 McGrath Breast Care Nurses working in communities right across the country. The McGrath Foundation are well over halfway to their goal of 150 McGrath Breast Care Nurses to ensure that every family in Australia, experiencing breast cancer, has access to a optimal care and support, so we need your help! The first 200 centres to register will receive a Pinkletics kit, bursting with pink goodies and valued at over $250! Please visit http://pinkletics2013.gofundraise.com.au/cms/ home or contact the McGrath Foundation team on 02 8962 6100 to register.

Little Athletics a hit at schools across WA

The Little Athletics Program for Schools (LAPS) has been delivered across WA throughout the 2013 school year. Over 11,000 students have been visited at participating metropolitan and regional schools. Thanks must go to our 2013 LAPS coaching team, which consists of Claudia Klaassen, Krista Gregory, Jeremy Andrews, Rochelle Roberts, Cameron Greenley, Jordan Makins and Brooke Pires-Parenzee. Highlights of the year have included visits to schools in Karratha, Port Hedland, Broome and Hyden. Schools have also been supported through athletics carnival visits by our coaches and initiatives through the School Ambassador program. We look forward to delivering many more future clinics while reaching more remote areas. Jordan Makins is pictured here wearing his LAPS shirt while in Kenya for a high altitude training camp. Great work Jordan!

Some of our Winter highlights

State Cross Country Champs State Road Walk Champs WALA team in Kuala Lumpur

Brooke Pires-Parenzee at Mosman Park PS

Education & Training clinic

David Cramer is WALAs patron for 2013/14 David Cramer has been installed as WALA patron after approval by the Association. Mr Cramer has a long list of honours and experience in Little Athletics. He was founding member of the Warnbro club in 1973. He served as Chairman of Rockingham LAC before being elected onto the WALA board in 1984. He became the chairman of WALA in 1987 and played a key role in the inauguration of international competitions. Mr Cramer was then president of Little Athletics Australia from 1996 2000. As a life member of WALA, LAA Roll of Excellence inductee and someone still actively involved in coaching, we are honoured to have David Cramer as our patron. George Strickland also continues to be a long serving patron for the Association.

Forrestdale Little Athletics Club

We would like to welcome the Forrestdale club to our Little Athletics family. Here are some photos from their first competition at Dale LAC.

Please send YOUR Centre Snapshots and story to admin@walittleathletics.com.au or share it on facebook.com/walittleathletics
West Australian Little Athletics 15 Harrogate St Leederville WA 6007 Tel 08 9388 2339 Fax 08 9388 2340 admin@walittleathletics.com.au facebook.com/walittleathletics @WALittleAths